Mission guide
Sierra Leone Freetown Mission
A family guide to the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission, its people, history, and daily life in West Africa.
- English
- Krio
Sierra Leone Freetown Mission shirts
Every style made for this mission, printed when you order.
Sierra Leone Freetown Mission T-Shirt
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Sierra Leone Freetown Mission Heart Map Shirt
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Sierra Leone Freetown Mission Flag Map Shirt
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Choose size & color →I Glory in My Jesus, in the language of this mission
2 Nephi 33:6 as it reads in the Book of Mormon for each language spoken here.
Weak Things Become Strong, in the language of this mission
"I make weak things become strong" (Ether 12:27) as it reads in the Book of Mormon for each language spoken here.
About the mission
English and Krio are spoken throughout the mission. Krio is widely used in everyday communication, especially in Freetown.
At a glance
- Country
- Sierra Leone
- Main city
- Freetown (1,347,559 people, 2024 census)
- Languages
- English and Krio
- Time zone
- Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0)
- Climate
- Tropical monsoon, with a rainy season from May through November
- Church in Sierra Leone
- 41,775 members, 10 stakes, 118 congregations
A short history of the area
Earlier, in 1787, formerly enslaved Black people from London established the Province of Freedom and Granville Town. That settlement was destroyed in 1789. In 1808, Britain made Freetown a Crown Colony, and the city later served as the capital of British West Africa.
The Church here
- 1981Michael Samura, a native of Sierra Leone, was baptized in Holland and later returned to Freetown.
- January 18, 1988Michael Samura presided over the first approved Church meeting in Sierra Leone at Goderich, a suburb of Freetown.
- May 7–8, 1988The first missionaries assigned to Sierra Leone arrived and held the first official Church meeting at Elizabeth Bangura’s home.
- June 11, 1988The first baptismal service in Sierra Leone was held at Lumley Beach, with 14 people baptized.
- August 7, 1988The Freetown Goderich Branch was organized, with Christian George as president.
- 1991Missionaries were evacuated after war spilled from Liberia into Sierra Leone. Members continued meeting and supporting one another.
- 2002The war ended, and Church membership in Sierra Leone had grown to nearly 5,000.
- 2007The Sierra Leone Freetown Mission was created, including Liberia.
- December 2012Elder Jeffrey R. Holland organized a stake in Freetown, the 3,000th stake of the Church.
Temples nearby
Freetown Sierra Leone Temple
Under construction · Near Freetown
Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple
Dedicated May 25, 2025 · About 670 miles from Freetown
The Book of Mormon here
Missionaries in this mission share the Book of Mormon in these languages. Tap a cover to read it free.
Cover art is an illustration. Links open the free edition on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Before you go
Phrases to learn
- KusheHello
- Aw yu?How are you?
- TenkiThank you
- Ar yu?Are you well?
Foods to try
- Jollof rice (seasoned rice cooked with tomatoes, onions, and spices)
- Cassava leaf stew (a savory stew made with pounded cassava leaves)
- Groundnut stew (a rich peanut-based stew often served with rice)
- Akara (fried bean cakes made from seasoned black-eyed pea batter)
Fun facts
- Freetown's harbour occupies part of the estuary of the Sierra Leone River, one of the world's largest natural deep-water harbours.
- Fourah Bay College, founded in 1827, is the oldest university in West Africa.
- The National Railway Museum has a coach car built for Queen Elizabeth II's state visit in 1961.
Just got the call?
Turn the opening into a game: family and friends guess where the missionary is going before the reveal.